Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
The City of Highwood has taken a first step toward privatizing its fire department.
City Council members voted 4-2 on June 2 to contract with Paramedic Services of Illinois to supply the department with two firefighter/paramedics per shift, or one-half of the staffing on duty at all times. The City of Highwood will pay Paramedic Services of Illinois about $411,000 the first year to provide six firefighter/paramedics exclusively to the City of Highwood to cover three shifts per day, seven days a week.
Highwood’s four full-time firefighter/paramedics and a pool of part-time personnel will fill out the schedule to ensure that four people are on duty throughout each 24-hour day.
The city recently laid off three full-time, first-year firefighters/paramedics shortly before their probationary period expired.
Highwood Ald. Eric Falberg, who supported the PSI proposal, noted that Highwood’s heavy reliance on part-time people to supplement its full-time force has been difficult to manage in the past, and the city has lacked the flexibility to hold over part-timers into the next shift.
But Ald. Mike Fiore felt strongly that Highwood taxpayers would willingly take on a tax increase in order to hire more full-time personnel. “In my opinion, these (contract) guys are all inexperienced,” Fiore said. “They just came out of the academy and can’t find a gig.”
Also opposed to the move was Ald. Andy Peterson, who felt the city should be looking instead to sharing services with neighboring municipalities. “I am not convinced that supplementing our full-time staff with contract employees — no matter how reputable the firm — is going to maintain or improve the current quality of service,” said Peterson, who agreed the current cost structure of providing services is not sustainable.
Speaking to concerns about contract employee turnover, Mike Hansen, vice president of Paramedic Services of Illinois, acknowledged that employees often leave to work in a municipal fire department for higher pay and pension benefits. Hansen also serves as fire chief for the Village of Lincolnwood, which relies exclusively on Paramedic Services of Illinois to staff its department.
“I am not here to necessarily convince you to (use our service),” said Hansen, acknowledging the advantages and disadvantages. “All I can tell you is our residents appreciate our service.” He added they are particularly appreciative two times a year when their property tax bills come out. “We save our community’s taxpayers about $1.3 million a year in pension liability costs,” he said.
#1 by Mike on June 24, 2015 - 3:00 PM
The three that were fired were not laid off. If they were aid off the village would have had to negotiate with the union regarding layoffs. These 3 probationary firemen were fired for the sole reason of bringing in a contract service. That is also why the other full time firemen are still there because just like north riverside their layoffs would have to be negotiated. This is a very shitty move by the city and hopefully these 3 find other employment. Also I hope the remaining full time firemen remind the contractors that come in that they have taken jobs away from tested firefighters
#2 by Mike on June 24, 2015 - 10:05 AM
Privatization is working so well here……wake up highwood!!!
Here is a recipe for disaster
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150620/news/150629906/
#3 by **73 on June 24, 2015 - 1:19 PM
Whats even more wrong is they didnt offer the PSI positions to the 3 they layed off but instead to the part timers that currently work there.
#4 by **73 on June 24, 2015 - 7:43 AM
Typical Hansen response about saving money for the tax payers of the village of lincolnwood..as if the residents can’t afford their taxes when theyre paying $12k+ property tax on their million dollar home. Cheap ****s just like Hansen.
#5 by ffpm571 on June 6, 2015 - 4:03 PM
I see old Mike Hansen is still the PSI lackey.. He co-taught my EMT at C.O.D. with Ron Simpson The whole class was Mike. Umm, Umm, useless info, Umm..